Anthony P. Wenzel Jr.

Anthony P. (Tony) Wenzel Jr. passed away peacefully on Wednesday 15 October 2014 in Houston, Texas, just over three weeks before celebrating his 90th birthday. Tony was born 11 November 1924 in Houston. A child of the depression, he went on to create a life worthy of membership in The Greatest Generation.

Tony was a 1942 graduate of Reagan High School and a US Army veteran who served in the Pacific theatre. He earned a BS in civil engineering at the University of Texas, before returning to Houston.

He worked briefly for the City of Houston before joining Brown & Root, his employer for nearly 40 years; working on diverse projects like the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. Tony and sometimes his family lived in New Jersey, Venezuela, Mexico City and Saudi Arabia. While working full-time, Tony earned his Masters from Rice University and committed his life to serving God, family and community – dedicating his time and resources to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Timbergrove Little League, the Timbergrove Civic Club, and a 75 year relationship with Grace United Methodist Church. Whether called to be lay leader of the church, President of the Texas Section of the ASCE, or asked to be a greeter and pancake flipper, Tony’s answer was yes. It was not about the title he held, but the people he served.

Retirement was merely transition for Tony, as he became active in the Brown & Root Retirees’ Association, in both social and leadership roles, and he became a member, then leader, of the Houston Heights LiONS Club and is Past District Governor of LiONs District 2S2. Tony worked tirelessly to support the LiONs’ Camp in Kerrville and the Eye Bank of Texas: changing lives from Texas to Nicaragua by fixing levees, collecting used glasses, and collaborating with the University of Houston Optometry Department to bring pioneering advances that would improve vision to people throughout Central America. He also was instrumental in the design of, and fundraising for, the World War II Memorial on Heights Boulevard.

In his free time Tony loved sports, hard work, dominoes, cards – anything to keep himself physically strong and mentally sharp – and he loved his Longhorns, almost as much as his family and his church.

Tony is preceded in death by his parents Anthony P. Wenzel Sr and Geneva Bussey Wenzel, his brother Edward M. Wenzel and his wife of almost 46 years Alice Hayes Wenzel. He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Alice Schlortt Young Wenzel; sister-in-law Jacky Lou Wenzel of Porter; children and “bonus” children James P. Wenzel and wife, Pamela Hoffpauir Wenzel of McAllen, Texas, Mary E. Wenzel, Nancy Wenzel Bruce and husband Richard Bruce, Laban and Becky Young Marsh, Matt and Margaret Young Woodruff, and Mark and Catherine Young Snider all of Houston. He is also survived by grandchildren, Joshua and wife Maralyssa Guerra Wenzel, Jeremy Wenzel; Paul and Patrick Tow; Ryan, Alex and David Bruce; Ali and Sam Marsh; Elizabeth Woodruff Yancy and husband Will, Will Woodruff; and Abigail Jackson. He is also survived by countless loving family, friends, co-workers, and extended church and LiONs family around the world.

There will be a visitation/gathering of friends and family on Saturday, October 18, 2014, from 3 to 5 pm at the Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd, Houston, Texas 77008. His memorial service will be held at 3 pm on Sunday, October 19, 2014 at Grace United Methodist Church, 1245 Height Blvd, Houston, Texas 77008. A reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow the service. Hook’ em, Tony. You will be missed.

Arrangements under the direction of Heights Funeral Home, Houston, TX.